Wrong Treatment Melts Woman’s Skin Inside Out

When Khaliah Shaw started taking her prescription pills for depression, she did not expect that it would cause her further problems other than her mental health. Three years ago, when she started taking the medication, she said that "everything was okay," until she started feeling like she was on fire.

In 2014, Shaw's doctor prescribed her lamotrigine. Although the medications worked at first, things took a turn for the worst after two weeks, when she said that she felt "excruciating pain." In fact, she likened it feeling she was "on fire."

USA Today reported that Shaw had a different reaction to her medication. In fact, the ordeal led to her diagnosis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This skin disorder is rare but usually occurs when an incorrect dosage of medication causes a reaction to the body.

"It essentially causes your body to burn from the inside out and you pretty much just melt," Shaw explained.

Khaliah Shaw spent three weeks in a medically induced coma as her skin peeled off. In an 11Alive report, she said that she wanted to ensure that other patients can be protected from pharmaceutical errors. She said that the incident did not have to happen.

"This was not just some sort of fluke in my opinion. This happened as a directly (sic) result of somebody's error."

According to PalmBeachPost.com, along with Khaliah Shaw are others who are also suing pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline. They stated that the company is promoting Lamictal without advertising its full risks. This is not the first time that a case of this nature followed the company, either.

In 2012, GSK pleaded guilty to criminal negligent charges of fraud and failure to report product data safety. At the time, the pharmaceutical company paid a total of $3 billion.

In Khaliah Shaw's lawsuit, she claimed that her medical bills totaled more than $3.45 million. Costs will only increase over time as she expects to continue receiving treatment for her situation.